Common Myths About Calorie Deficit: Debunking Dieting Misconceptions
The equation appears easy: Eating Fewer Calories and Exercising More should lead to a Reduction in Weight. Sometimes, though, it seems that’s not working at all.
A couple of things can flip the scales in an upward direction, like underlying health problems such as fatigue or hormone imbalances.
Let’s look at some of the reasons you may not be able to lose weight even if you’re in a caloric deficit and what you can do about it.
One of the most important places to look for is your intake of calories when you start a weight loss program. The simplest and scientifically approved formula to lose weight is to combine exercise with a calorie deficit diet.
This equation seems to be as follows: lower the number of calories you consume and raise how much energy you’re burning by exercising.
Although a reduction in calories can only be attained by adapting to your diet or exercising routine, it is more effective when minor adjustments are implemented on both sides. Body fat loss may be helped by exercises to strengthen muscles and a diet rich in fresh foods.
12 Potential errors you are making in Calorie Deficit for faster-losing weight
The calorie deficit diet is all about not eating enough calories compared to your total energy expenditure per day. Although it’s easier than you might think, the reality can be even more difficult for someone who has been trying to slim down.
Several common culprits may be at work if you have reduced your intake of calories without seeing any results.
1. Your calorie deficit is not balanced and healthy
You don’t know how to calculate your caloric intake, do you? Let’s take a look at the balance of energy. This is the difference in energy input numbers of calories consumed and energy output number of calories burned. To lose weight, an imbalance or negative energy balance must be achieved.
It’s hard to count calories accurately, we often underestimate our food intake, focus on healthier meals, discount “cheat” meals, and forget about our liquid calories. To obtain a more accurate reading of daily caloric intake, it may be useful to start a journal or use a calorie tracking device.
Calculate your basal metabolic rate, the rate at which your body burns calories while you’re resting, for calculating energy expenditure. This accounts for 60-75% of the total calories burned per day.
2. You’re not keeping track
It is natural for humans to give ourselves a pat on the back when we eat healthy food, then dismiss our more disgusting eating at weekends. You can see that your intake of calories is higher than you think when you track all the foods you eat. If you need structure, an application or journal can help.
You may be consuming more calories than you realize if you choose healthier foods, but eat more of them. While boiled new potatoes are better than chips in the oven, it’s important to be careful not to eat twice as much. Try using a smaller bowl or plate to control your portion if you don’t want to count your calories.
3. You’re at a plateau in your weight loss
Is your weight loss going backward? Don’t be afraid, it happens to all of us. What’s the cause of that plateau in weight loss, though?
This happens when you burn calories that are equal to those of your meals. Losing fat also contributes to muscle loss, which can reduce your Body Mass Index, meaning as you lose weight your metabolism slows and you burn fewer calories.
Your weight loss progress will slow down even if your diet and exercise stay the same, so you’re going to need more physical activity or fewer calories. Try to increase the intensity of your exercise if you are eating fewer calories, and this will help you get through a plateau.
4. Your Body is holding water
The retention of water can also lead to a plateau in weight loss. Hypotensive causes of water retention, including hormonal fluctuations, menopausal symptoms, time of day, and changes in diet, for example, salt intake, are also possible during weight loss efforts.
Fortunately, these causes are temporary, but it’s a good idea to see your doctor to check for chronic causes of water retention, including kidney, liver, and thyroid dysfunction, as well as some medicines such as the pill, HRT, antiflaminants and blood pressure medicines, if this is a persistent problem.
5. You are not getting enough sleep
The higher incidence of excess weight is due to lack of sleep, but what makes this happen? Sleep deprivation may increase appetite and a greater daily intake of food, which can influence the reward center in the brain. This can harm our control of ourselves, leaving us to crave chocolates and sweets.
When you jump into bed a little early, it can help to avoid those late-night snacks and more sleep will make your brain clear about which foods are best during the day.
6. If you are struggling medically to lose weight
Some conditions, like those that affect your hormonal levels, insulin, or BP, can make it more difficult to lose weight. These include:
An underactive thyroid
Diabetes
PCOS
Heart disease
The menopause
Depression
Some medicine shows an increase in weight as a side effect, including:
Beta-blockers, prescribed for Cardiac(Heart) and BP issues
Certain contraception
Certain antidepressants
Medication used for type 2 diabetes
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
If you don’t have a diagnosis but have symptoms as well as difficulty losing weight, consult your physician and try to change healthy lifestyle.
7. Menstrual cycle
The hormonal metabolism plays a vital role in the ability to lose weight with age and is also impacted by genetics. Weight fluctuations are normal during the menstrual cycle and metabolism slows as we enter menopause, which makes it more difficult to lose weight.
Do you think that menopause could be the cause? During menopause, the average weight gain may be 5 kg but it’s not necessarily a sign.
The associated menopause symptoms with hot flashes, improper sleep, and low mood might make it difficult to eat well and laziness is induced. To restore muscle mass and bone density, and to improve metabolic rate, certain exercises such as lifting weights may be helpful.
8. You’re working too much or improper exercise
Increased your physical exertion but still having trouble losing weight? Maybe it’s the type of exercise you’re doing, specifically cardio kinetic exercise, and how much of it you’re doing.
Muscle loss is unavoidable under all circumstances of calorie deficit dieting or cardio driven, and in muscle groups that are not being exercised for example the upper part of the body on runners.
It is essential to get involved in weight lifting and maintain adequate protein so that you can help cope with this by continuing your weight loss efforts.
It doesn’t mean you need to eliminate cardio, but getting the right balance is of utmost importance. Sustainable weight loss and improved mental health should be at the heart of your weight loss journey. Give yourself a little time for research and development and practice slower movements such as yoga and pilates.
9. You’re drinking too much alcohol
It is easy to look only at the calories in your solid food, but it’s also true that drinking can increase your caloric intake. Just 1 regular glass of wine has about 133 calories, while a pint of beer has approximately 239 – about the same as a Mars bar. And they’re empty calories with no nutritional value.
Make sure each drink is added when you calculate your calories. Try replacing white spirits with a sugar-free mixer instead of wine or beer, and switch to lower-calorie options.
There’s no doubt that your weight loss and overall health benefit from reducing the consumption of alcohol entirely.
10. You are expecting quick results
While we all strive to achieve our goals, sometimes it’s good to take a step back and appreciate what you have accomplished so far, big or small, remember that your body is making changes that are not always visible on the scale.
While it may be your primary goal to lose weight, your weight loss journey should focus on overall improved well-being and letting the number on the scale get you down, which is counterintuitive to feeling good. Remember, it takes minutes to destroy and days for good things to happen!
11. Your stress level is increased
Sometimes we’re all experiencing stress, and unfortunately, increased stress levels can affect more than just our mental well-being. By increasing cortisol levels, which are an appetite stimulant, elevated stress may make it hard to keep weight off.
Therefore, in stressful times you may be tempted to eat emotions and search for comfort food. In times of stress, our metabolism slows down to make things worse. It may be time to relax and practice more subtle movements such as yoga if stress causes an increase in weight.
12. You weigh yourself at different times each day
It can be disheartening to see the scale towards the negative side from day to day, but, normally, body weight changes throughout the day and usually food or water is responsible for it. Try to weigh after some period gap to see the significant change in number.
Consuming any fast food or beverage adds weight, even the healthiest options, but foods high in sodium and carbohydrates especially cause weight gain. Consistency, in particular time and condition, is of the utmost importance. You know, if this causes stress, it’s okay to give up the scales altogether and focus on improving your health!
You are eating less, and burning more calories. Still not losing weight, why?
It’s hard to lose weight, and sometimes you feel like you’re doing everything right, but you’re not seeing results, even if your energy output is higher than your caloric intake. The key is to address the single culprit that’s wreaking havoc with our attempt at weight loss.
To support a healthy lifestyle, there are some small habits that we can adopt each day:
Get a diet full of nutrients by eating very few calories. Decreased time for preparing meals? Check out Juniper’s nutritional shake for weight loss. There are 29.4g of high-quality protein and 20 vitamins and minerals in these meal replacement shakes.
In particular, during your periods or at the end of menopause, exercise is helping to increase metabolic rates. The key is to have a proper balance of cardio, weight training, and slow motion.
Get a good night’s sleep. It’s also going to help you recover from your exercise, and it’s going to help you make better food choices.
To get an accurate picture of what you’re eating, make sure you’re telling yourself how many calories you’re eating, or use a tracking app.
Stay hydrated! Water helps flush out toxins from our bodies, reduces appetite, and increases the metabolism of fat and carbohydrates.
To improve metabolic rates, such as Juniper’s Weight Reset program, you must surround yourself with a like-minded community, supportive health professionals and lifestyle coaches, and scientifically supported medicines.
When should I speak to a doctor?
A doctor can help if you have concerns about your weight or wish to discuss the start of losing it. They’ll be able to determine if you’ve got any medical problems and give you healthy lifestyle advice that’s right for you.
Increase in weight after cutting calories, what does this mean for my body?
There are a couple of reasons why this may happen: you don’t keep an accurate count of calories, or your caloric intake needs adjusting.
Remember, as your weight is getting down, you’ll need to adjust your energy balance to keep it on the negative side, your body quickly adapts to new routines and a healthy diet plan, so starting slowly means you’ll have more room to grow as your journey progresses.
It’s not always a correlation between fat and weight or the number on the scale. Because muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue, it may be possible to gain weight and lose fat.
It may be time to talk to someone if you’re still reducing calories and increasing physical activity but aren’t seeing a decrease in your body fat. To support you with tailored guidance, our Weight Reset program offers medical advice, health coaching, and access to accredited dietitians on-site.
How long will it take to see positive results in a calorie deficit?
You may be wondering when you can expect to see physical changes in your body, while any weight loss journey should focus on overall improved well-being.
You can expect two stages of weight loss, the initial stage is rapidly losing weight when you are thinner than before and this usually occurs after 4 to 6 weeks of change in your lifestyle and diet.
The next is slow weight loss which can be difficult to achieve. Maybe you’re plateauing or feeling that your progress is slowing down too much, but if the new diet and exercise routine stays sustainable as long as this tough time lasts, it will make you look and feel healthier in the long run.
Don’t forget, there are so many reasons why you might not be losing weight despite the lack of calories. To determine the appropriate course of action for you, you must take into account what additional factors may be at play and consult a professional.
All things are described in an impressive way. Thanks for such an informative article.